Telegram-herald., 1887-06-10
THE DIGGER INDIANS.
4 Hunters Experiences with Them.
Their Peculiar Traits.

4 Hunters Experience With Them.
Their Peculiar Traits.
CHICAGO, juno I.
In the rotunda OF the Sherman house the
other evening q veteran Rocky mountain
hunter was entertaining group OF CONNER
cial nsa with stories Of adventures on the
plains and mountain fastn-sss. sBy the
way. boy,, did you ever hear tell of the Dig
ger Indiansi Well, this is how ! dropped
onto 'en. It was only north or two ago: /:
I ksd worndei a tough and rather lively
pr-xzfv near the foot hills and lie wns s11znk-
ing on at a pretsy Lively rata over toe yi2ins-
/ startei In full pursuit. calculating that
another shot at Close range would fetch tho
critter. when, junping upon one of tho many
curious hillocks that csntered 1T one point,
seemed 70 he tumbling through huge in
yerted basket, and all OF e sudden found
myself doubled up in a heap in a pit
about six feet deep. describing q
circle Of perhaps seven feet. surrounded
by a tribe OF three dirty Indian sausws,
scsntily clothed, four naked children and an
OIL; Indian brave, sans war paint srld arg ex-
tesior ornaments Or clothing other than a
leather girth, TO which was attached rude
hatchet and pipe. The inhabitants of the
subterranean abode were clearly taken by
surprise, and the women ard children
screamed and shouted Ike so many Conan
ches on the warpath. Tue old Indian shook
his head with displeaSure, made prctense OF
grasping his tornakawk, and pronounced a
short Indian Grafton in deep cultural tones.
exteTnroTizsd eloquent gestures indicating my
deep cnsgrir at the situation IN which very
unexpectedly found myself, pointed 10 barked
shins and bruised arms, and with my eyes
firmly fixed upon the cptias of the Indian,
laid hold Of a sort Of rope ladder connecting
with the Opening above, and crsviel up side
WAYS, crab fashion, my face turned the wi-le
to the occupants Of the pit, and nimbly leaped
through the opening. quickly perceived
that was IN the very heart os subteFTancsn
Digger Indian village. for on all sides the
basket Ike coverings Of Che piis were being
removed, and the occupants. cid and young,
great and small, clad In all degrees
OF undress and flthiness. formed IN
family groups about their respective homes
or lodges There were sn the village
perhaps thirty lodges, IN ths center Of
an immense plain, n mileor 50 from the bot
tom ~ the foot hills, On small rise Of
ground The huts or pits were scattered
about irregulariy and irdiscrinainntely. and
not in the order which Usually characterizes
the loiges Of Indian villages They were
simply pits or holes dug into the earth. from
four to seven feet in disr,ster. and usually
from four to six feet in depth. While many
of these Indian residences were purely and
simply circular pits, others we're Of q more
pretentious nature and further elaborated.
embracing one OF more shafts or chambers
on a level with the bottom Of fbe hat. dug
into the sides Of the room from four 20 SIX
feet, with an arched covering II earth two OF
three feet high-literal earth chambers, three
feet square by FIVE or six feet long. Some Of
the huts had one chamber, and others two or
more chambers, into which the adult mern-
bers Of the Indian family cTswled at night
for rest and sleep. The tors q these Indian
aboie< were covered With boueiss Of trees 80
arranged as 20 she'd water and sssrinklei with
leaves and dried grsss, usually covered with
thin layer Of soil Then IN the center there
i a narroe openiug Of eighteen inches - t~o
feet, closed BY reuiarketie willow OF wicker
work covering. which is Fitted g one side
whenever the occupants of fie hut Ssh 70
make their entrance or ext from TIE sab
terrsnean sbode l. q. z